Cue and Scratch: DJ Schools In India

Â If there was ever a time to learn how to DJ, this would be it. With both audiences and DJs turning to all forms of dance music from progressive house to drumstep, the Indian electronica scene seems to have hit its peak. The past year has seen some of the biggest names in the international EDM scene taking centre stage inIndiaincluding the legendary Fat Boy Slim, queen house bee David Guetta and festivals such as Sunburn and Submerge Supernova that have hosted acts like Growling Mad Scientists, Roger Shah, Axwell and Avicii. We picked the four top DJ schools across the country.Â

Â Â Â

1.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ILM, Bengaluru and New Delhi

Set up in 2009 in Bengaluru, I Love Music Acadamey (ILM) is the brainchild of Nakul Vagale and Sean de Souza. Nakul’sÂ brother Arjun, is part of eclectic EDM outfit Jalebee Cartel in Delhi, who recently opened a branch in New Delhi as well. A hands-on school, ILM teaches the basics of analogue turntables to aspiring DJs. As a startup offer in Delhi, they are currently offering scholarships to students applying for the three-month Pro-DJ course worth Rs 35,000. Other courses being offered include Electronic Music Production and Audio Engineering, which run into a span of four months each. If you want to learn techno and breakbeat, there’s no place better than to learn from Vagale.Â

Based in Andheri in Mumbai and in Noida, New Delhi, Ritesh D’Souza or DJ Nasha as he is known, has been conducting DJing courses since 2002. Who better to teach you the best way spin the decks than the master of experimentation himself. One of the oldest DJ schools in the city, D’ Souza has hired a team of trainers made of up former students and professionals, to conducting courses at the Workstation. You can choose from their DJing course and Electronic Music Production courses, which range from Rs 20,000 to Rs 45,000 depending on the duration and syllabus. From commercial house to drum ”˜n’ bass, you can be sure D’Souza will make you cue them all.

Delhi’s oldest club DJ, Jazzy Joe was spinning the decks in party halls, discotheques and bars when most of us were still inÂ school. The oft dreadlocked Joe, is the man you went to if you wanted to hear techno, Goa trance, big beat or even drum ”˜n’ bass. Joe started his DJ training school way back in 1997 and takes students through extensive theory and practical sessions before declaring them as DJs. He’s probably the only one who’ll tell you the difference between Goa trance and psychedelic trance. Course ranges from Rs 15,000 to Rs 60,000.

Run by Chennai’s party fixer, DJ Kave, the school is about a year old and is already gaining ground in the city. Having played with the likes of AR Rahman and Blaaze, DJ Kave places prime importance on showmanship with live scratching and turntable stunts. DJ Kave prides himself in not just teaching technique, but also the art of presentation. His students learn the basics of sound along with scratching, beat juggling and video DJ mixing.